Letter to the Editor: Back to the future part 2Marty suddenly appears with a lot of noise and dust and commotion in the time machine as the professor looks on. “We’ve got to do some work on this machine, Professor. It keeps taking me 10 years ahead to the same little city of Russellville, Ark.” “Well Marty, what’s going on there now?” “They just finished building Lake Tech out by the university. The dam runs along on the east side of Phoenix Avenue, and the lake is between there and the sc...

Letter to the Editor: Voluntary tax for animal shelterVoluntary tax for animal shelter. First, let me say I am a pet owner. I own four pets. This is in regard to the recent article about a voluntary tax for animal control. I believe the county would be better served by a pet registration. Each cat and dog should be registered with the county, with proof of rabies vaccination, which is required by state law. The state requires a $25 penalty for each pet that is not vaccinated. I doubt this is bein...

Letter to the Editor: Commemorate birthdays separatelyI agree 100 percent with Governor Hutchinson’s proposal to honor Robert E. Lee’s and Martin Luther King’s birthdays separately. In fact, I’m not sure why they should be honored on the same day in the first place. What I do find curious is the governor’s lack of mention of Lee, seemingly focusing his argument entirely on honoring King. Each of these icons affected the course of history in different ways and at different times. Each of them dese...

Lettter to the editor: Don't forget to let fire trucks passDon’t forget to let fire trucks pass A fire truck, with sirens blaring and lights flashing, had a difficult time getting to the emergency at 8 a.m. this morning (Jan. 12). I was traveling south on South Arkansas Avenue when I noticed a fire truck approaching behind me. I signaled and pulled over to let the truck pass. I had to follow the truck for a few blocks, and those poor firemen had such a tough time getting where they were going! They ha...

Letter to the Editor: Job well doneFrom Dec. 28 to Dec. 30, 2015, the Russellville School District (RSD) and Russellville Rotary Club joined efforts to make an impact in the Arkansas River Valley, and I for one feel like we did. When RSD Athletic Director Johnny Johnson was speaking at a club meeting and mentioned the idea of having a basketball tournament to help local food banks during the holidays, it didn’t take Rotarians Tonya Gosnell and Kelly Stewart a second thought to ...

Letter to the editor: Gunshow loophole and background checksApparently, Obama is unfamiliar with the HIPAA Law. He should read it, especially the part that says you cannot be refused the purchase of a firearm for being “Mentally Defective” unless you are deemed mentally ill by the courts or committed to a mental institution. Medical professionals are not going to call the BATF every time a patient in their care says they’re angry, depressed, going through a divorce, lost their job or need help dealing ...

Highway helpEditor, I live near the intersection of State Hwys 16 and 27. I use Hwy 27 for frequent trips to Russellville and elsewhere, and after 35 years, I am very familiar with this stretch of road and its dangers. These are generally well marked — posing little hazard, with one exception. Traveling north from Hector, after crossing the second bridge over the Illinois Bayou and starting up Fork Mountain at 1.3 miles from the bridge, there is a large o...

Goodbye 2015Goodbye 2015. As we close 2015, it is sad that we can’t ring out the fear gripping the hearts of Americans. No longer known as the home of the brave, the world now sees us as fearful and hating. What frightens us more: Jihadic terrorism or any and all bigotry; government regulation of guns or crazed men shooting to kill people; intrusive government regulation or climate change; too little surveillance or Big Brother; racist police or anarchy? ...

A place of significance — in Russellville“Shuffle Along,” the first African American musical that launched the careers of Josephine Baker and Paul Robeson, is coming back to Broadway. I learned about it on “Sunday Morning” this week, as well as the fact that the musical was nearly forgotten. The CBS story is filled with interviews of actors who expressed gratitude for the chance to be part of the effort to bring the show back to life. The story brought to mind something I’m passionat...

Letter to the Editor (Dec. 22, 2015)Dear Editor, Imagine Marty, from “Back to the Future,” getting out of the DeLorean and Doc asks, “Where you been Marty?” Marty replies, “Back from the year 2025, in a small city called Russellville, Arkansas”. “So what’s happening there?” Doc asks. “Well, they have pulled up one of the sidewalks from North El Paso and plan to re-install it between The Whattaburger and those old apartments up the road. The section was used very little and in go...

Letter to the Editor: Quilts of ValorQuilts of Valor My husband and I, Aubrey J. Pritchard, thank all the River Valley Quilters who had a hand in making and presenting a beautiful patriotic quilt that represented his service in Korea in the 5th regimental combat team. It was a great honor to us, and to his friends and family, to receive such an honor from the second tour, QOVF (Quilts of Valor Foundation) and the poem, from Mary Welch, relating to all our wonderful men who served...

Letter to the Editor: Hector School DistrictTo the Editor, Greg Bell and the others on the Hector Scholarship Fund Committee are to be commended for what they are doing. I donated to the fund and plan to every year, even though I no longer live or work in the district. I encourage others to do the same. It looks like the Plains and Eastern Clean Line project will go through Arkansas somewhere, but I sure didn’t think that it would generate so much tax revenue for the schools. The Hector...

Letter to the Editor: Presidential accusationsDear Editor, In a recent speech, the President accused us of being afraid of widows and orphans. What a stupid thing for a President to say. That ranks right up there with “We have nothing to fear but fear itself,” “I am not a crook” and “I did not have sex with that woman.” All of those statements were untrue and/or patently misleading. We are not afraid of widows and orphans. However, we are afraid of terrorists. Terrorists have already been...

Letter to the Editor: A special thanksOn behalf of the Quilts of Valor, the American Legion Post 20, the various other Veterans organizations, and the individual Veterans who enjoyed the Veterans Day ceremony at the Center for the Arts, I extend our appreciation for the outstanding morning program. The program was well planned, well organized, and presented. I had no idea the Russellville Band, the Choir and the individual singers performing, would be so talented. I believe they w...

Letter to the Editor: Plains and Eastern Clean LineMy name is Greg Bell, and I’m a business owner in a small Arkansas community in Pope County. The town of Hector isn’t a big one. In fact, by last count, we have around 500 residents that I proudly call neighbors. We serve these folks every day at my place — the Hector Pharmacy. As a business owner, I understand how vital our school district is to this community. I’m writing this letter to encourage my neighbors to seize the opportunity to chan...

Letter to the Editor: 2016 Social Security IncreaseThe Obama Administration just announced there will be no increase in Social Security for seniors in 2016 because the cost of living has not increased. Where? The same announcement included a statement that Medicare premiums will increase due to higher medical costs. An odd follow up statement even for Washington. There are several possible reasons for their failed 'logic'. They live on another planet, spend too much time in a Marijuana shop, t...

Letter to the Editor: DevotionToday. the Marine Corp Marathon is being run in our nation’s capital. As a tribute to my father, James C. “Jug” Knight, I am running in the race. He was a Korean War era Marine. Like they say, “Once a Marine, always a Marine.” The story could stop right there, but for my family, the tribute goes much higher. It extends to the care, love and devotion my father has provided to our mother who has Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. My father’s complete ...

Economic development fundsThe article in Thursday’s paper that talked about whether Economic Development Funds could be used for Weir Road contained information that was just plain wrong. The Fund that Mayor Horton referred to is defined the same as the other ED fund. Its definition reads “....for economic development purposes and to support the creation of private sector jobs, including particularly, industrial development.....”. To state that job creation must be dir...

AppreciationThis is to express my appreciation to the RSD, the athletic department, and the RHS homecoming committee for allowing me to serve as an honorary game captain for Friday’s game against Bryant. Having played my last game for the Red and Black some 44 years ago, I can think of no greater honor for a former Cyclone. But just as football is a team sport, this honor is something to be shared with all coaches, players and student managers from the 19...

Letter to the Editor: Protecting ArkansasI recently received a mailing from Plains & Eastern Clean Line regarding their planned project to run through Pope County. The mailing focused on the revenue it would bring to Dover and Hector schools. While bringing in revenue is important, it is also wise to be selective in what we support within our communities. Other considerations are worthy of discussion when impacting revenue already enjoyed; revenue that does not require the destructio...